Interview with Betty Eldridge, July 23, 1986

Partial Transcript: Okay Betty, to start your interview, think back to the period in time just before the Brookside strike started.

Segment Synopsis: Betty Eldridge discusses her awareness of the Brookside Mine Strike through her husband who worked there at the time, and discusses how she became involved in the strike herself after seeing an article in the local newspaper. She talks about handing out union leaflets at the Harlan Chamber of Commerce, striking on the picket lines, and other demonstrations. She talks about her expectations for the strike when it first began.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Attitudes; Awareness; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Business leaders; Businessmen; Cars; Chamber of Commerce; Demonstrations; Expectations; Glenbrook Mine; Guns; Husbands; Involvement; Joe Eldridge; Joining; Leaflets; Length; Marches; Newspapers; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Scabs; Southern Label Union (SLU); Strike benefits; Strike pay; Supportive; Talking; Time; United Mine Workers of America (UMWA); Violence; Work

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Well, let's--that's the next stuff I want to ask you about.

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge says that the thing that stands out the most about the time of the strike was the court system. She talks about the bias of the courts against the strikers. She talks about the various activities she participated in during the strike including handing out leaflets, picketing, and more. She describes their daily picketing schedule. She briefly mentions being arrested on the picket line and for breaking a restraining order.

Keywords: Active; Alone; Arrested; Arrests; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Chamber of Commerce; Court systems; Daily schedules; Demonstrations; Injunctions; Joe Eldridge; Leaflets; Legal systems; Minnie Lunsford; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Restraining orders; Scared; Strikers; Willie Lunsford

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Law and legislation; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Collective bargaining--Law and legislation.; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Law and legislation.; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: What kinds of stuff did you all do to get support in the county?

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge talks about attempting to gain support from the community for the strike, but says that some of her friends and even her mother were not supportive. She talks about why some people may not have been receptive to the strike.

Keywords: Afraid; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Community; Contracts; County; Friends; Gossip; Ignored; Lies; Mothers; Older people; Retired; Rough; Scared; Signs; Supportive; Telephone calls; Young people

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: What about, um, things like--did you work on the inquiry that they had?

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge talks about her experiences on the picket line, saying that it was mostly dull but that there were a few rough times. She talks about laying down in the road to prevent scabs from getting to the mines, for which they were arrested.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Agitate; Agitation; Arrested; Arrests; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Citizens' public inquiry; Commissary; Demonstrations; Inquiries; Jails; Laying down; Newspapers; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Police; Roads; Rough; Scabs; Smoking; Strikebreaking; Strikers; Talking; Testifying; Testimonies; Testimony; Work

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Um, what was it like being a woman on the picket line?

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge talks about how the women were treated on the picket lines by the scabs, and how they were treated by their families and communities for participating in the strike. She talks about how attitudes changed after the union contract was signed.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Arnold Miller; Attitudes; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Changes; Children; Contracts; Critical; Demonstrations; Friends; Harassment; Ladies; Marches; Meetings; Mothers; Name calling; Older people; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Reactions; Scabs; Sentiment; Strikers; Support; Treatment; Younger people

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Um, when it--when you all were deciding what to do on the picket line and when to go, who usually would decide that you were going to go on the picket line that morning?

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge discusses the planning of the picket line activities. She talks about why she did not picket at Highsplint. She talks about times she felt discouraged during the strike. She talks about what she learned about other people during the strike.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Attitudes; Beliefs; Believing; Bosses; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Decisions; Demonstrations; Everyday; Highsplint (Ky.); Jails; Laziness; Learning; Lies; Men; People; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Restraining orders; Scabs; Southern Label Union (SLU); Strike benefits; Strike pay; Strikers; United Mine Workers of America (UMWA); Work

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Um, tell me, were you--did you consider yourself a member of the Women's Club?

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge discusses why she did not participate in the Brookside Women's Club.

Keywords: Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Brookside Women's Club; Community; Disagreements; Disapproval; Elected; Elections; Evarts (Ky.); Goals; Meetings; Membership; Multipurpose Center; Plans; Presidents; Purpose; Reactions; Sudie Crusenberry; Together

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: When you la--look back over the Brookside strike and think about what you did, would you say that you played a pretty active role in it?

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge continues to discuss her participation in the Brookside Strike. She talks about the dangers, including examples of shooting, harassing phone calls, and incidents with the state police. She talks about why she supported the election of Sheriff Billy G. Williams. She tells a story about throwing pepper into Basil Collins' face.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Active roles; Basil Collins; Billy G. Williams; Black pepper; Bothering; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Campaigning; Captain James Cromer; Changes; Dangerous; Dangers; Demonstrations; Elections; Enjoyment; Favorable; Guns; Harassment; Highsplint (Ky.); Highsplint Mine; Houses; Involvement; Killing; Lois Scott; Men; Norman Yarborough; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Political campaigns; Scabs; Scared; Scary; Sheriff Billy G. Williams; Sheriffs; Shooting; State police; Sticks; Strikers; Support; Switches; Telephone calls; Trouble; Warrants; Women; Work; Worry

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Politics and government; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence

Partial Transcript: Um, tell me some about the--when you testified on the panel, the citizens--(Eldridge coughs)--

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge briefly mentions her participation in the citizens' public inquiry regarding the strike. She talks about the trial for her arrest for laying down in the road to block cars from getting to the mine. The first trial resulted in a hung jury. She and the others convicted served their time in jail after the union contract had already been signed. She talks about being arrested again on a charge of obstructing justice.

Keywords: Afghans; Appeals; Arrested; Arrests; Bessie Cornett; Bessie Lou Scott; Billy G. Williams; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Charges; Citizens' public inquiry; Contracts; Courts; Fines; Hung juries; Hung jury; Husbands; Indictments; Injunctions; Jails; Joe Eldridge; Judge Edward G. Hill; Lawyers; Laying down; Lois Scott; Lying down; Melba Scott; Melba Strong; Obstructing justice; Panels; Police; Roads; Sheriff Billy G. Williams; Testifying; Testimonies; Testimony; Trials

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; United States--Trials, litigation, etc.

Partial Transcript: Did you, uh, did you do any traveling with the, the union like to the stock exchange or to North Carolina--

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge talks about some of the places she traveled with the union, including a shareholders meeting in North Carolina. She talks about meeting with Norman Yarborough after giving a radio interview about the union. She talks about why she supported the idea of a union contract.

Keywords: Attitudes; Benefits; Better life; Billy C. Bruner; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Contracts; Demonstrations; Distance; District 17; Hospitals; Income; Interviews; Lawrence Jones; Lawyers; Lois Scott; Marches; Media; Money; Murder; New York City (N.Y.); Newspapers; Norman Yarborough; North Carolina; Outsiders; Pensions; Personality; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Press; Proxies; Radio stations; Rallies; Stockholders meetings; Strikers; Traveling; Union leaders; Wages; Work; Young people

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Was there any times that Joe didn't want you to go out on the picket line?

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge talks more about attitudes regarding her participation in the strike, including her husband, children, brother, and her mother.

Keywords: Advice; Angry; Attitudes; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Brothers; Children; Elections; Family; Fathers; Gossip; Husbands; Involvement; Joe Eldridge; Mothers; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Political campaigns; Sticks; Strikers; Worry

Subjects: Childhood; Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Politics and government; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Um, now I'm going to ask everybody some questions about, um, when the strike was going on, who the people were that you kind of did everything with.

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge talks about her relationships with other strikers, particularly Minnie and Willie Lunsford. She talks about still feeling a closeness with these people to this day.

Keywords: Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Children; Closeness; Husbands; In touch; Joe Eldridge; Lois Scott; Minnie Lunsford; Nannie Rainey; Neighbors; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Problems; Ruby Stacy; Strikers; Transportation; Willie Lunsford

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Um, I've got a series of questions then to try to get about everybody about, um, what you were up against trying to get along during the strike and stuff now.

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge describes her household during the time of the strike. She talks about her younger sons attending school, as well as her older son's work in Michigan. She talks about their house, which she later renovated herself after attending vocational school for carpentry. She talks about the family's finances and how they were able to continue to survive while on strike. She talks about how the family handled housework during the strike and how she dealt with the increased workload.

Keywords: Alice Webb; Attitudes; Bills; Boats; Borrowing; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Carpentry schools; Children; Chores; Cooking; Crisis; Cutting back; Effects; Electrician; Expenses; Family; Finances; Food; Free lunches; Gardens; Glenbrook Mine; Gregory Eldridge; Helping; Hiring; Household; Houses; Housework; Husbands; Income; Joe Eldridge; Joel Eldridge; Leaving; Loans; Michigan; Mortgages; Mother-in-law; Mothers; Outdoors; Outside; Pay; Payments; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Priorities; Recreation; Repairman; Salary; Savings; School systems; Schools; Sons; Southern Label Union (SLU); Spending; Strike pay; Strikers; Tensions; Trading work; United Mine Workers of America (UMWA); Vocational schools; Wages; Window shopping; Work; Workload

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Um, now I want to know a little bit just about you, Betty.

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge describes her own childhood. She talks about her mother's work after her father's death. She talks about her first marriage, her divorce, and her marriage to Joe. She talks about her three sons. She describes her education as well as her husband's. She describes her work history as a nurses aide.

Keywords: 1934; Appalachian Regional Hospital; Army; Birthplace; Business offices; Careers; Children; Clinics; Death; Divorce; Electricians; Evarts High School; Family; Fathers; General Educational Development (GED); Grandchildren; Gunfights; Harlan County Vocational School; Husbands; Jobs; Joe Eldridge; Married; Michigan; Mothers; Nurses aides; Occupations; Restaurants; Schools; Shootings; Social security; Sons; Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, 700 College Rd, Cumberland, KY 40823; Training; Webb family; Work; Work history

Subjects: Education; Employment--Kentucky; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Marriage

Partial Transcript: Um, now these questions are--I wonder if I need to change tapes.

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge talks about returning to the Harlan area after living in Michigan for several years. She talks about their house and describes more of the logistics of managing the household during the strike. She talks more about remodeling the house after attending carpentry school.

Keywords: 1971; Appliances; Bills; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Carpentry schools; Chores; City; Colts (Ky.); Company houses; Cotes (Ky.); Cutting back; Dryers; Effects; Electricity; Evarts (Ky.); Eviction notices; Expenses; Family; Finances; Gardens; Heat; Home; Household; Household management; Houses; Housework; Husbands; Income; Jobs; Joe Eldridge; Loans; Loss; Madison Heights (Mich.); Michigan; Mortgages; Pay; Payments; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Remodeling; Salary; Spending; Strike pay; Strikers; Trailers; Wages; Washers; Water wells; Work; Workload

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Well now that we've got all that, that kind of information now, let's roll back to the strike and, and just think about it.

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge says that she learned a lot from participating in the strike. She talks about some of the effects of the strike, including the strikers not being hired for other jobs. She talks about why her husband left Brookside to work for Lynch, and why he later also left Lynch. She talks about what she misses about the strike days: getting together with other people in the community. She talks about how the strike negatively affected some families in the Harlan area due to opposing viewpoints about the union. She briefly mentions the murder of Lawrence Jones.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Accomplishments; Attendance; Attitudes; Bailey's Creek (Ky.); Billy C. Bruner; Black Lung Association; Blacklists; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Brothers; Children; Christmas; Community; Contracts; Fears; Funerals; Future; Getting together; Hardships; Hiring; Houston Elmore; Impact; Jobs; Lawrence Jones; Learning; Leaving; Meaning; Meetings; Neighbors; Older people; Organizers; Personal vendettas; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Problems; Quitting; Relationships; Retired people; Routines; Scabs; Scary; Sold out; Sons; Strikers; Striking; Talking; Trouble; U.S. Steel; Vacations; Victory celebration; Work; Worried

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Lynch (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: You said a minute ago--if you had to do over would you do it again?

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge says she would choose to join the strike again if the circumstances were the same. She says she thinks the women got away with more on the picket lines than men would have. She talks about the scrapbooks she made about the strike. She talks about some of the good times she had during the strike, including yelling at Norman Yarborough and the scabs.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Bosses; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Decisions; Fun; Good times; Men; Newspaper clippings; Newspapers; Norman Yarborough; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Proud; Reactions; Reasons; Run over; Scabs; Scarecrows; Scrapbooks; Strikers; Talking; Treatment; Yelling

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Well, while we're sitting here and got some more time on the tape, are there things you want to add to your interview?

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge looks through some photographs from the time of the strike and describes some of the incidents she experienced. She talks about picketing at a Duke Power shareholders meeting, being arrested and giving fake names to the police, being held in contempt of court, laying down in front of cars to prevent scabs from going to the mines and being dragged away by the state police, among other experiences. She talks about the bias of the local newspaper against the strike. She talks more about going to jail and names the others who were also arrested. She talks about the bias of the courts. She talks more about why she supported the union contract and why she believes the situation is hopeless now that Harlan has no unionized mines. She talks more about Sheriff Billy G. Williams.

Keywords: "Betsy Ross"; "Martha Washington"; "Scab paper"; "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Arrested; Arrests; Barbara Callahan; Biased; Bill Doan; Billy G. Williams; Blue Diamond; Bribery charges; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Campaign of terror; Cars; Children; Citizens' public inquiry; Conspiracy; Contempt of court; Courthouses; Courts; Coverage; Dragged; Duke Power; Eastover entrance; Efforts; Fairness; Fake names; Harlan Daily Enterprise; Hearings; Held in contempt; Highsplint (Ky.); Hopeless; Hung jury; Husbands; Jails; Jerry Johnson; Joe Eldridge; Judges; Judge Edward G. Hill; Kneepads; Lawyers; Laying down; Lois Scott; Melba Scott; Melba Strong; Mickey Messer; Minnie Lunsford; Newspapers; Norman Yarborough; Organizing drives; Pants; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Pictures; Plans; Political campaigns; Scabs; Scared; Sheriff Billy G. Williams; Sheriffs; Shootings; Signs; State police; Sticks; Stockholders meetings; Strikers; Subpoenas; Union leaders; Visiting; Warrants; Washington, D.C.; Willie Lunsford; Work; Young people

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikebreakers; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; United States--Trials, litigation, etc.; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: So Betty, tell me now what happened when you went over the ARH looking for a job a couple years ago.

Segment Synopsis: Eldridge describes applying for a job at the Daniel Boone Clinic but being turned down due to her participation in the Brookside strike and a letter to the editor she had written in support of a union at the Appalachian Regional Hospital. She and an unidentified man discuss why other local mines were reluctant to strike after the Brookside strike. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Appalachian Regional Hospital; Attitudes; Biased; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Business offices; Chamber of commerce; Cloverfork Clinic; Contracts; Daniel Boone Clinic; Doctors; Eastover; Effects; Harlan Daily Enterprise; Highsplint (Ky.); Hired; Hiring; Hospital unions; Hospitals; Involvement; Job applications; Jobs; Length; Letters to the editor; Newspapers; Nurses aides; Opposition; Physicians; Raises; Reluctance; Steelworkers union; Sympathetic; Time; Union busters; Work

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Discrimination in employment; Employment--Kentucky; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement